The door is always open for all farming organisations and mart auctioneers on the island of Ireland to come together to combat the current beef crisis and to get a better farm gate price for farmers.
This is according to William Taylor of North’s Farmers for Action (FFA), who was speaking ahead of its all-island crunch beef meeting which is taking place in Dublin this evening.
The current crisis in beef prices is an all-island Irish issue, the chairman said, adding that it’s time to pull the hand brake on and put control back into farmers’ hands and take charge of the industry.
FFA’s aim is to send a collective message to the meat industry and explore various courses of action that they may take as a grouping.
“There is a lot of strength when organisations work collectively,” Taylor added.
FFA has sent invitations to more than 15 organisations, including Irish Co-Operative Society, Irish Farmers Association, the ICMSA, ICSA Ireland, Ulster Farmers Union, Macra na Feirme and the Young Farmers’ Club.
FFA were formed in May 2001 by a group of farmers who were disillusioned by the ineffectiveness of the organisations representing their industry. It has groupings across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK.
The meeting kicks of at 7pm this evening.